Epic Inventory Only Enough For Those With Reservations on Launch Day

The Sprint rep confirmed my Epic reservation today. She told me they would open early on Tuesday at 8AM.

I asked if those with reservations would be in a separate line from the general public. She then proceeded to tell me that only those with reservations will be getting the phone!

This didn't sound right to me. It seems like anyone in line would get a phone while those with reservations would be guaranteed a phone. Apparently however, the stores will only be shipped the exact number of phones for which there is a reservation. Can anyone else confirm this? It still does not sound right to me.

I asked if there are a lot of reservations for the phone at this particular store and she said "not really".

I also asked about accessories. She told me that she still has not seen any accessories for the phone and that the shipment will be received tomorrow along with the phones.

Overall, I felt she was not very prepared to answer specific questions and her goal was just to confirm my reservation.

I just find it hard to believe that only those with reservations will be getting the phone on Tuesday...makes no sense!

I went by the RadioShack in the mall close to me, and asked if they would have extra Epics aside from what is preordered. They told me they had 6, and that I would not have a problem getting one if I came in on Tueday without a reservation.

The Sprint rep confirmed my Epic reservation today. She told me they would open early on Tuesday at 8AM.

I asked if those with reservations would be in a separate line from the general public. She then proceeded to tell me that only those with reservations will be getting the phone!

This didn't sound right to me. It seems like anyone in line would get a phone while those with reservations would be guaranteed a phone. Apparently however, the stores will only be shipped the exact number of phones for which there is a reservation. Can anyone else confirm this? It still does not sound right to me.

I asked if there are a lot of reservations for the phone at this particular store and she said "not really".

I also asked about accessories. She told me that she still has not seen any accessories for the phone and that the shipment will be received tomorrow along with the phones.

Overall, I felt she was not very prepared to answer specific questions and her goal was just to confirm my reservation.

I just find it hard to believe that only those with reservations will be getting the phone on Tuesday...makes no sense!

Hopefully she was misinformed.

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From my experience, most employees working at retail chains are clueless. I knew much more about the Epic than anyone working at my local Sprint store. The replies coming from the staff, after I tried to educate them about the Epic, where, I was not aware of that sir, we really wont know anything until they show up. I felt like saying, why don't you take more interest in your job for Christ sake. This is going to be one of your top phones, show some gumption and do a little research.

OP, was this a Sprint store or another retailer? I wonder if maybe the Sprint stores will get more than enough, but RS and BB will only get the preordered amount.

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Nah can't be that, I talked to both BB and RS and they both said they will be getting more than their preorder amounts. Sprint guy also hinted that they would have more than their preorder amounts as he told me to come back Tueday morning to get one ( I didn't preorder). I went by all three today.

A side note- The first time I went by BestBuy the sales woman told me only preorders would get an Epic on the first shipment, and that I should pre-order if I wanted to get one on Tuesday. I could tell she was just pitching a sale though, so I came back a few days later (today) and talked to someone less confident than her and he didn't even try to pitch me. He told me they had about 15 on the preorder list and were expecting 20-30 phones.

So, in my opinion, they are simply using a scare tactic to ensure pre-sales. Pre-sales = sale, no pre-sale = maybe a sale.

OP, was this a Sprint store or another retailer? I wonder if maybe the Sprint stores will get more than enough, but RS and BB will only get the preordered amount.

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Yes, it was my local Sprint store. What is interesting about this store is that it is one of the smaller stores and perhaps prone to lower inventory levels than the larger flagship store several miles away. I remember when the Palm Pre launched, the smaller store ran out very quickly while the flagship store received a larger shipment.

I have to believe that they are all going to have a significant number of these phones available for purchase other than just the preorders.

I have been looking for an Evo for more than 30 days and I would hate to see Sprint make the same mistake with the Epic. That would be a disaster for them.

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I have to believe that Best Buy will only have enough Epic 4G's for people who pre-ordered and not the general public....My reasoning is because of the complete lack of any picture or mention of the Epic in this weeks Best Buy circular ad....If they wanted the general public to get excited about a phone they knew nothing about that would be the way to do it...This is obviously more like a soft launch for the Epic similar to how T-Mobile did a soft launch of the Vibrant and than advertised its release a week later....Look for this to happen the same way for Sprint and Best Buy assuming that there is enough stock of the Epic 4G to stay in stock at retail locations.......I only have about 34 hours until I get my Epic!!!!....SOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!

.I only have about 34 hours until I get my Epic!!!!....SOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!

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YAY!!!! I never got a phone on launch day and always thought Apple fanboys were crazy for waiting up and all that stuff with the phone...now here I am one of those people...but mine is because I'll once again have a working phone lol.

I have to believe that Best Buy will only have enough Epic 4G's for people who pre-ordered and not the general public....My reasoning is because of the complete lack of any picture or mention of the Epic in this weeks Best Buy circular ad....

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It's possible however in the BestBuy Phone Buyers Guide catalog thing (they have a rather large catalog type thing in-store that you can take with you) thats has tons of Epic advertisments in it, along with the release date.

Plus, as I mentioned earlier, I talked to a Sales rep at BestBuy today who said they were expecting 20-30phones with only 15 on their preorder list. He actually had to go ask his supervisor, because I wanted to know if would be limited to only those who preordered. BTW, my BestBuy is still allowing preorder signups.

I went by the RadioShack in the mall close to me, and asked if they would have extra Epics aside from what is preordered. They told me they had 6, and that I would not have a problem getting one if I came in on Tueday without a reservation.

I have 1 Reserved at Best Buy (which I will get), and 1 at SPRINT (which I will not). I'm sure that I'm not the only ne who did that. Sprint will supposidely release the unclaimed phones on Wednesday Evening.

I have 1 Reserved at Best Buy (which I will get), and 1 at SPRINT (which I will not). I'm sure that I'm not the only ne who did that. Sprint will supposidely release the unclaimed phones on Wednesday Evening.

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I did the same, but I'll probably call Sprint so they can release it the same day.